instilled; instilling; instills
1
: to impart gradually
instilling a love of learning in children
2
: to cause to enter drop by drop
instill medication into the infected eye
in·still·ment
variants
or less commonly instilment
-lmənt
plural -s
Synonyms of instill
Examples of instill in a Sentence
Verb
a charismatic leader who instilled in his followers a passionate commitment to the cause
Recent Examples on the Web
Eduard Cauich, Los Angeles Times, 9 June 2026
Scholars say 16th-century Catholic missionaries introduced Europe’s Grim Reaper figure to Mexico’s indigenous population, believing fear of death would instill a desire for salvation and convert them to Christianity.
—Marc Ramirez, USA Today, 7 June 2026
In the audience will be Pink's mother — who took her to shows growing up in Philadelphia, instilling a love of musicals — and Pink's two children, a passing of the musical theater baton.
—ABC News, 7 June 2026
The taboo is calling into question what a society instills in its people—all of its people—without their even noticing.
—Nina Mesfin, New Yorker, 7 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for instill
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Verb
Broos, who took over as South Africa’s head coach in 2021, sought to instill discipline and relied on local talent, which was vital in securing a spot in this year’s World Cup.
—Eduard Cauich, Los Angeles Times, 9 June 2026
Scholars say 16th-century Catholic missionaries introduced Europe’s Grim Reaper figure to Mexico’s indigenous population, believing fear of death would instill a desire for salvation and convert them to Christianity.
—Marc Ramirez, USA Today, 7 June 2026
In the audience will be Pink's mother — who took her to shows growing up in Philadelphia, instilling a love of musicals — and Pink's two children, a passing of the musical theater baton.
—ABC News, 7 June 2026
The taboo is calling into question what a society instills in its people—all of its people—without their even noticing.
—Nina Mesfin, New Yorker, 7 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for instill
Cite this Entry
“Instill.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/instill. Accessed 12 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
instill
verb
in·still
in-ˈstil 
: to gradually cause to feel or have
instill a love of music
instiller
noun
Medical Definition
instill
transitive verb
in·still
in-ˈstil
instilled; instilling
: to cause to enter especially drop by drop
instill medication into the infected eye
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Merriam-Webster unabridged
